54 THE STORY OF LIFE IN THE SEAS. 



The John Dory is a remarkable Fish, by no 

 means confined to the rocks, as its food often 

 consists largely of Pilchards and Herrings. It 

 differs from most of the Fish of similar habits in 

 being remarkably flattened from side to side. 

 This feature seems to be of service to it in the 

 peculiar manner it has of securing its prey. Mr 

 Cunningham, to whom we are indebted for this 

 interesting observation, says : "It does not 

 overtake (its prey) by superior speed like the 



FIG. 18. The John Dory. 



mackerel, nor lie in wait for it like the angler, 

 but stalks it and approaches it by stealth. It is 

 able to do this in consequence of the extreme 

 thinness of its body, and the peculiar movement 

 of its hinder dorsal and ventral fins. The dory 

 places itself end on towards the fish it desires to 

 devour, arid in this position it is evident that it 

 excites no alarm on the part of its prey. The 

 appearance of the dory seen in this way is a 

 mere line in the water, to which no particular sig- 



